Austin, TX (CNN) - Two weeks after her marathon filibuster against new abortion restrictions in Texas made her instant political celebrity, reality has set in for State Senator Wendy Davis.

Following the launch of a "Stand with Texas Women" bus tour with fellow Democrats to oppose the state's hotly contested abortion bill, Davis conceded to CNN the measure is likely to pass.Follow @politicalticker

"It will be very difficult because unfortunately the voices that have been here crying out against this bill are not going to be heard," Davis told CNN in a brief interview.

"But I don't think it's the end. It's the beginning of a battle line," she added.

Last month, Davis staged an 11-hour filibuster that temporarily stalled the bill, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks and create new, potentially practice-ending requirements for doctors performing the procedures across the state.

Texas Governor Rick Perry responded to the legislative roadblock by calling lawmakers back for a special session to reconsider the measure, essentially assuring its speedy passage through the Republican controlled House and Senate.

Due to tough statehouse rules governing filibusters, top legislative aides in the Texas Capitol said it's unlikely Davis would be able to stop the bill a second time.

"That's probably the case," Davis agreed.

The popular state senator was mum on the subject of running for governor after Perry announced Monday he would not seek a fourth term in office.

"I'm not going to comment on that right now. We've got our hands full trying to beat this bad bill back," Davis said.

Still, she appears to be keeping the door open to a gubernatorial campaign. At the "Stand with Texas Women" rally, Davis repeatedly spoke past the abortion issue, jabbing Perry and top GOP leaders for becoming what she called "a real threat to people's rights."

"This truly is a turning point, a pivotal time for us to step up and take back what our Texas is and should be," Davis told CNN.

Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said it's too early to accept defeat on the abortion issue.

soundoff(404 Responses)

sonny chapman

"A Culture of Life"- how does that square with 500 executions, 100,000 & Counting Iraqi Civilian Deaths, 40,0000 Dead Americans annually because of no Health Insurance, Middle Class America scratching to survive. Their definition of Christian & mine don't match. P.S.- I get my definition of Christian/A Follower of The Teachings of Jesus Christ, from the Four Gospels.

July 9, 2013 03:13 pm at 3:13 pm |

Snarky MacFee

I am anti abortion BUT I am more anti-Perry and his ilk of Bully Politicians. If only he were as pious and Christian as he CLaiMS to be...then there would be laws and works done out of love of others rather than out of money, power, and ambition. GOP loves women alright..as long as they stay quiet and pretty or if they take the money on the table and leave before morning.

July 9, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

Morgan King

The conceit that the heightened anthropomorphism between particular weeks of a fetus's development somehow implies greater legal protection is ridiculous. As a culture, we kill and sacrifice humans for our own convenience on myriad fronts – from sending our kids to shoot their kids, to buying goods made by laborers in deadly environments we've outlawed for our own workers, to letting communities collapse under the waves of handgun violence because we can't be bothered to have an adult conversation about firearms, public education, or the decimation of the low-education workplace over the last 30 years. The number of possible-humans lost to abortion pales in comparison to the number of actual-humans that suffer and die for us.

Conservatives have embraced this particular form of death to protest because it's the only one their policies aren't directly responsible for. We owe it to all the children of the future to be raised by parents who want them and are prepared to raise them as best they can – the cycle of poverty, violence, and imprisonment that comes from unwanted children is debilitating to everyone involved, and our society as a whole.

July 9, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

savetheusa

What is the big deal? Contraceptives are free now. there shouldn't be any unwanted pregnancies.

July 9, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

doasisay

If men could get pregnant and had to carry the babies and risk being left by the mom who decided all she wanted was a quickie and oh well...this would not be at issue. Not all pregnancies are due to low morals or lack of responsibility. I was on birth control pills when I got pregnant with my son. If men had to carry babies for 9 months and push them out after several hours of agony and then (if single) have to take care of them possibly on their own, this whole farce wouldn't even be at issue. How men can feel they can make decisions that directly affect the female body I will never understand.

July 9, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

Snarky MacFee

Sonny C, you are a man after my own heart. Only Jesus can fix it now.

July 9, 2013 03:16 pm at 3:16 pm |

Fair is Fair

mike

MNFree wrote: "If you can't make up your mind on keeping it or not after 20 weeks, there's an issue there. It makes these places safer."

The problem is some truly horrifying fetal issues (including some that effectively mean a DOA baby) may not become apparent prior to that point, and the bill makes no exceptions for such cases.
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Read the law. It clearly allows for the procedure in the case of fetal abnormalities.

July 9, 2013 03:17 pm at 3:17 pm |

LJ Slats

Go, Wendy, Go! This bill is an affront to ALL Women's Health Issues, not just pregnancy! It's about the availability of services.

July 9, 2013 03:18 pm at 3:18 pm |

Duck Fallas

Texas should secede and make Oklahoma America's new sphincter.

July 9, 2013 03:19 pm at 3:19 pm |

it must be said

you just gotta love these liberals that have no problem with killing babies at the start of life and then when you get too old and it is too much work to take care of you, they'll give you the option to kill yourself so you don't drag down the commune with your excessive medical demands. the democrat's version of heathcare choice.

July 9, 2013 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

mary

The GOP fight to keep women from getting birth control.. Now they fight to force them to give birth to these children.Knowing full well there will only be more children born into poverty..
They have fought to take funds from programs that feed and educate poor children.. Funds to help poor women give birth to healthier children..
It seems that they are actually out to hurt children. Out to have more to hurt..
So what gives..?
They clearly do not care about children. So what are they doing? What is their agenda?

July 9, 2013 03:20 pm at 3:20 pm |

Doug in NYC

Why is it not being reported and investigated about how Rick Perry's sister is going to gain financially by this bill? She is a VP at an abortion clinic, one of only 5 that will remain open and actually meet the restrictions being imposed! Why is the media ignoring this?

July 9, 2013 03:21 pm at 3:21 pm |

rad666

One more reason to be thankful I don't live in Texas.

July 9, 2013 03:22 pm at 3:22 pm |

gregg

IF all of you who want to take this legal right away form women, how many of you are willing to adopt one of these unwanted children? Or support them through out their lives?

"Texas stands for life", right as we pull the switch on another convict..... hypocrites all.

The intent of this bill is to shut down the clinics, not protect women. I have no issue with the 20 week rule, but the rest is just a ploy to restrict access. Women of means (the republicans) will still have access to terminate pregnancies by traveling to wherever they need to do to get it done. It is the women in the lower socio economic classes that will struggle, which is exactly what the bill is intended to do.

July 9, 2013 03:23 pm at 3:23 pm |

txpatriot

Wendy Davis laments "the voices that won't be heard". Does she also lament the voices of the unborn, whose voices certainly won't be heard after they are aborted?

July 9, 2013 03:24 pm at 3:24 pm |

chew

Jim
So abortion is murder but 500 inmates put to death by the state isn't?
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One is a murderer, the other is an innocent life.

July 9, 2013 03:24 pm at 3:24 pm |

Guess

Heres the rub, the gop uses the twenty week arguement to pass legislation that goes well beyond that, most agree, 20 weeks is very late, a good medical reason would have to be present, and verifiable. this is not about a timeline for legal abortion, its an attempt to outlaw it outright. big difference. gop loves to play games with the truth. get them out, again, if your not rich, and vote gop, you obviously got caught up in the gop game, do yuorself and me a favor, check voting records on the topics that are important to you, likely the gop has said one thing, and voted another

July 9, 2013 03:26 pm at 3:26 pm |

truth hurts

Read the law. It clearly allows for the procedure in the case of fetal abnormalities.

"Mike said – Abortion is murder, plain and simple.
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Then so is male masturbation, any form of birth control, and abstinence. All of these things prevent a human from forming just as effectively, or possibly more so, than abortion."

Now this takes the cake. Instead of making yourself look woefully inept, learn the difference between PREVENTING a human life and TAKING a human life.
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I suppose that you've never listened to Pastor Santorum and Christian conservatives too much. Rick is against any form of birth control, much less abortion, and seeks to outlaw all forms of birth control. His words, not mine. Radio interview, fall 2011.

July 9, 2013 03:29 pm at 3:29 pm |

Doug

Calling it a "women's health issue" is a red herring to avoid the fact that this is specifically about ABORTION only. The fundamental question that should be honestly debated is "Should a woman have the right to end the life of her unborn baby?" If yes, then during all 9 months of pregnancy? Would there be any exceptions? Until both sides stop name calling, the issue will never be solved.

Interesting how everyone in favor of abortion has already been born...

July 9, 2013 03:31 pm at 3:31 pm |

FUBAR

I am so sick and tired of hearing about a woman’s right to choose. I could care less if you choose to shave your head, punch holes in your nose (or anywhere else you may). I don’t even care if you climb up to the top of the nearest building and jump off. But you DO NOT have the right to choose to kill an unborn child. What you do have is the right to take responsibility for your actions. I have an idea, if you don’t want a baby, use birth control or take a cold shower! If birth control fails YOU STILL DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO KILL. It is so disappointing to see moral decay in our world. I hear crazy people talk about abortion to save a child from growing up in poverty, I have never heard such a crock in my life. Go ask a kid in the projects if he would rather be dead than poor. Don’t try to use the self justifying excuse that it’s not a child only a fetus.